Sunday, March 27, 2011

Spark MicroGrants Semi-Finalist for Buckminster Fuller Challenge

The Buckminster Fuller Challenge has named Spark MicroGrants a semi-finalist for their prestigious annual design science competition. The Challenge awards $100,000 to support the development and implementation of a whole systems-based solution that has significant potential to solve humanity’s most pressing problems.

Spark MicroGrants was chosen because of its novel model for stimulating community-led development. The Spark model could potentially be used around the globe to provide the poor the chance to design and implement their own development projects. The Buckminster Fuller team recognizes the potential global impact in their review of Spark here.

“This innovative approach to development could be very timely and have a global impact in that the micro-loan model, once touted as a panacea, has recently been revealed to have very serious potential pitfalls, and many aid initiatives have very high administrative costs and still ultimately fail to pull communities out of poverty.”

This recognition reaffirms Spark’s mission to shift the paradigm of global aid where communities are entrusted with their own development.

Semi-finalists will be reviewed and discussed by 11 jurors and finalists will be announced in May. The winner, runner up, and honorable mention will be announced at the conferring ceremony in New York in early June. Hopefully Spark will continue to progress in the competition!